Sri Lanka: Writing on the wall for errant INGOs, NGOs - State media

Editorial, The Sunday Observer

Some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and their funding agents in International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) have acted in the most unbecoming manner in Sri Lanka. They even played a sinister role during Sri Lanka's relentless battle against terrorism from 2006 till mid-2009.

State controlled Silumina newspaper bans 'Bertolt Brecht' for damaging Government propaganda

Bertolt Brecht

The state run weekend newspaper, 'Silumina'. has withheld its supplement 'Shasthreeya Athirekeya' this week, over an article on strong political undercurrents of Bertolt Brecht's stage plays.

The article, which was published as the cover story of the 'Shaasthriya Athirekaya', discusses as to how Bertolt Brecht's plays are of relevance to societies whose political bodies are characterized with hypocrisy, suppression and corruption. However, the article does not make any direct reference to the the government of Sri Lanka. Instead, it analyses the political realities of Sri Lanka in a much larger context, portraying it as a systematic breakdown of the entire 'system'.

Sri Lanka govt. flagship English daily CDN denys Right to Reply to cover up its unprofessionalism

Media Release/National Peace council

PUBLIC INTEREST OR PERSONAL VENDETTA? LET THE READERS DECIDE

What can be said about someone naked who steals the clothes of his opponent and parades them as his own to hide his own nakedness? The Editor of the Daily News has shamelessly misappropriated the statements used by the National Peace Council (NPC) to expose his ignorance and confusion of history and parades them as his own.

Sri Lanka: Daily News Editor doesnt know the difference between War of Independence (1775- 83) and Civil War (1861-64) in America

Editor puts his leg in the mouth

 '' The Editor of the Daily News seems to be all mixed up about the American War of Independence which took place from 1775-1783 and the American Civil War which took place a century later in 1861-64, between the United States and 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union.  The Declaration of Independence is celebrated on July 4, but not the end of the Civil War which took place between the North and the South where over 600,000 people were killed. ''
 

DISCRIMINATION ARISES WHEN THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LAW AS IT IS AND HOW IT IS IMPLEMENTED IN PRACTICE

Press Release /National Peace Council

TNA has rallied to promote terrorism in the Council. This is proof TNA are terrorists," - Minister

Rallied to promote terrorism,Trying to destabilize country's reconciliation process - Daily News

In passing numerous resolutions and adopting them in the Northern Provincial Council demanding the withdrawal of the ban imposed by Sri Lanka on foreign terrorist organizations and individuals that have links with the Tamil Diaspora, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members have committed an act of gross treason under the Constitution, Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W. D. J. Seneviratna said yesterday.

SL Minstry of Defence (MOD) site has deleted libelous statement re Ruki Fernando and Fr. Praveen, posted this morning

Here  is the post on the MOD site this morning now taken out. See Srilanka brief note posted this morning with the heading :Arresst of HRDs in Sri Lanka: Misinformtion campaign begins 

''We reprodse an news item form state controlled Daily news which is full of lies. 

'Ruki Fernando and Fr, Praveen have never been prominent activists of the National Peace Council (NPC) - SLB

NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL TIGER LINKS BARED - 

Prominent NPC activists in TID custody -Close contacts with LTTE faction trying to revive Eelam''

The MOD site screen shot of the said article follows

Sri Lanka HRDs Ruki Fernando and Fr. Praveen were linked to known terrorist - State mouth peice CDN

DEFENDING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF TERRORISTS
Editorial / State Daily News, 19 March 2014
All sanctimonious humbugs in the non governmental 'humanitarian' organizations are furiously tapping their desktop and ipad keyboards sending off self righteous tracts to the media about what they refer to as the arrests of human rights defenders at a time the UN HRC is in session in Geneva.

Correcting Hudson’s Crooked Political Vision

Hudson Samarasinghe

by Nimalka Fernando
On the 4^th of November 2013 I was contacted by many friends and relatives urging me to listen to Hudson Samarasinghe’s radio program on a state radio channel. I normally don’t listen to Hudson’s program because I perceive it to be low grade cheap propaganda by a producer who has self styled himself to be a wrecker of images. The words used in this program are filthy and derogatory. And it is a hallmark of the defamatory and biased political culture and tradition that Hudson represents.

Sri Lanka: Smear campaign and threats against Ms. Nimalka Fernando

Dr. Nimalka Fernando

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka: Threats against Nimalka Fernando’s life and other human rights defenders through state media

Nimalka Fernando

Complaint made to the HRC-SL and IGP by Dr. Nimalka Fernando

The radio programme titled Rata Yana Atha (The way country is forging ahead) broadcasted in the Commercial Channel of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation on 4th November 2013 was based on a voice cut given by me to the Hiru TV to be relayed in the HARD TALK segment during the daily news bulletin. I had listened to the original version of the HARD TALK relayed on Sunday 3rd of November by HIRU TV.

SRI LANKA: A short report on the features of the increasing authoritarianism

Sr Lanka: lawyers protest against undermining independence of judiciary

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commissiondem

In her media statement from Colombo on 31 August 2013, Dr. Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said,

"I am deeply concerned that Sri Lanka, despite the opportunity provided by the end of the war to construct a new vibrant, all-embracing state, is showing signs of heading in an increasingly authoritarian direction."

It would be useful to mention what some of the features of this increasing authoritarianism are. The following observations may be made:

Navi Pillay: CLEARLY SHE IS ON THE TERRORISTS’ SIDE - Editorial, State media

Navinathem Pillai the UN High Commissioner’s prejudices have long been clear, but they have never been clearer than after her recent visit to this country. But, that’s not unusual. To use the figurative, in certain species, they are never known to change their spots.

Red Alert: Is a Black July being threatened through the state media?

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka  
A spectre is haunting Sri Lanka: the spectre of Cyril Mathew. Are the Tamils of the Western Province regarded as potential hostages in the event of a TNA victory in the Northern Provincial Council and a legitimate assertion of Constitutional rights by that Council? Is a veiled threat being issued through the state media that Tamils in the Western Province will be targeted if the TNA and the Northern Provincial Council do not behave with due obsequiousness?

CPA complaint Human Rights Commissions of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) against the Independent Television Network of Sri Lanka (ITN)

12 August 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director filed a complaint (Complaint No: HRC/3083/13) before the Human Rights Commissions of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) this afternoon against the Independent Television Network of Sri Lanka (ITN) and its Chairmen. The complaint was on the basis that a news item appearing on the 7:00pm Sinhala language news broadcast of ITN on Sunday 14th July 2013 violates several fundamental rights of both CPA and its Executive Director which are guaranteed under the Constitution to all citizens of Sri Lanka.

The height of hypocrisy – the Code of Media Ethics

S.L.Gunasekara
 
I had the doubtful ‘pleasure’ of reading the document entitled “The Code of Media Ethics” circulated among various media institutions by the Ministry of Mass Media and Information which left me with two choices – to laugh or to cry. As it happened, I did neither.

So furious was I that this Government in which I once had so much faith could resort to this kind of tomfoolery and actually believe that the people were such absolute imbeciles that they would fall for it that I, for once in my life, was left speechless.

Freedom of Expression: What are ‘anti-national’ criticisms exactly?

In what precise manner can a fantastically unethical Government prescribe a Code of Ethics for the media? This is a highly relevant question given recent bombastic claims by the Government Spokesman that a draft Bill on Media Ethics is being circulated prior to implementation.
State media devoid of ethics
This Government has proved itself to be far worse than its most un-saintly predecessors in using the state media to witch-hunt and target dissenters. A few months ago, for example, we saw state media propagandists exceeding all boundaries of decency in slandering critics of the impeachment of Sri Lanka’s 43rd Chief Justice. In the process, judges of the Supreme Court, including the impeached Chief Justice were mercilessly character assassinated with impunity by attack hounds of the administration, unleashed on those whom they perceived to be their enemies.

"Ravi Karunanayake raises an issue if privilege in Parliament on state controlled ITN news"

Hon. Speaker,
I wish to raise an issue of breach of privilege, where my reputation as an honorable member of this august assembly is at stake. I have been a Member of Parliament continuously for over 19 years & at no time I have behaved in a manner that has brought disrepute to myself or the position I hold.
The Independent television Network (ITN) news broadcast has been carrying out a well orchestrated vilification campaign against me as an MP as well as a law abiding citizen of the country.

Sri Lanka: State propaganda Vs reality

Cartoon by Prageeth Eknaligoda, who was abduted and made to  disapper 3 years ago

Hana Ibrahim
The Department of Police is the country's chief law enforcement authority. When its spokesperson comes each and every day before the mass media and relates the numerous activities and their surrounding circumstances to the public, he is taken at his word. For, the word of the Police is the ultimate. Yet, what seems to be happening is just the opposite.

Sri Lanka top judge laments state media's "slander campaign"

Lawyers of Sri Lanka's top judge Shirani Bandaranayake today accused the government of running "an organized series of programmes" in state electronic media targeting the Chief Justice, the Judiciary and leading lawyers.
They said said government spin doctors are involved in these "baseless propaganda programmes".

Impeachment: Lawyers deplore false propaganda: Urge Ministers to Conduct with dignity

 It is with shock and dismay that we have observed an organized series of programmes in State electronic media targeting the Chief Justice, the Judiciary and leading lawyers who are challenging the Impeachment. We have particularly noted that Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Wimal Weerawansa and well known hate campaigners Rajpal Abeynayaka and Hudson Samarasinghe - all persons with vested interest in the impeachment process, are involved in these baseless propaganda programmes, with impunity. Ministers Rajitha Senaratne and Wimal Weerawansa were Government members of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), who have allegedly uttered derogatory remarks forcing the Chief Justice to leave the PSC. Now they disgracefully display their conduct in public .